Improvement in devices for suspending hammocks



Nrrnn STATES ,PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS TUITS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR SUSPENDING lHAMMOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,392, dated September 30, 1873 5 application tiled August 16, 1873.

I To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, Oris TUFTs, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts have invented an Improvement in Supportmg Hammocks; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the artto practice it.

The invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of devices designed for use as a portable support for a hammock.

Hammocks, as is well known, are now eX- tensively used by tourists and visitors to the country and sea-shore, and also at country and suburban homes; but in all cases, so far as I know, they are suspended from permanent objects or from fixtures, branches of trees and the pillars around buildings being most generally employed for supports. It is, however, very desirable not to be confined to such means of support, and to be able to swing a hammock at any spot of ground, as upon beaches, croquet-grounds, lawns, and parks, where permanent provision for suspending a hammock cannot easily be found or made.

My invention is designed to furnish such provision by means of devices which may be compacted into such small space as to be readily carried from spot to spot, and which can be arranged for supporting or swinging a hammock without special skill, and with but trifling labor.

In my invention Iuse two stands or stools, each having three rods or bars passing through a head, or through sockets connected with said head, each rod sliding in its socket, and the sockets being capable of such relative movements that they may be brought into compact and parallel position for transportation, or may be spread open om the head to form a stand, suitable screws and stops confining the rods in proper respective positions to form the stand. On the inner side of each head is a hook, for attachment of one end of the hammock 5 and the two tripod-stands being placed in standing position, the hammock is swimg from the two hooks. The stands may or may not be connected by a tie-brace or rod, the vertical rods of the tripod passing through sockets at the opposite ends of the rods, and being fastened in position by suitable screws.

The construction thus generally described constitutes my invention, and the drawing' shows a construction embodying the invention.

a b denote the two heads or socket-blocks, with which the rods are connected. Each head is preferably made approximately triangular in section, and with a vertical center socket, through which passes a rod, c, while to its two other faces are attached movable sockets or socket-pieces d, each having an ear, e, through which passes a coniiningscrew, f. Through the sockets d pass the side rods g IL of each stand or passes through the socket into the head. By loosening the screw the socket may be freely swung upon the pin, while by tightening the screw the socket, and thereby its rod, is confined in angular position, as seen in the drawing. When the screws are both loosened the rods may bebrought together or into parallel position. Stop-pins e' may be employed to limit the movements of the rods and assist in their support in angular position. Each vertical rod c is held in position in its socket by a screw, k; but the side rods g h slide freely in the sockets, and need no connement, as their angling position, and the weight resting upon them in such position, prevents them from slipping. From the inner face of each head extends a hook,-Z, and the stands being placed at suitable distance apart, and spread open, the hammock is suspended from the hooks, as seen. in the drawmg.

The vertical rods c are shown as connected by a horizontal rod, m, having sockets n, through which extend the rods c, the rod m being confined by screws o. This connectingrod may, however, in many cases, be dispensed with.

It will readily be seen that, by means of the movable rods and heads, the hammock may loc adjusted in position as to height, and may tripod, and each screw f bc" swung,` in any vsuitable spot7 or Without 2. In combinationwith the adjustable stands, selecting` a spot necessarily level or of ruiiform the connecting-rod m, substantially as shown surface. and described.

I claiin- OTIS TUFTS. 1. A hammock-support having suspending- Witnesses:

heads a b and movable rods g h c, constructed FRANCIS GroULD7 and connected substantially as described. M. FROTHINGIIAM. 

